“A mouse chewed through my Aqua Mira!…I hope he died!”

That was one of the first things that Hoplite said to us on showing up at the shelter this evening. You’ve got to know that Aqua Mira is the chlorine dioxide that we use to treat our water and that Hoplite is the guy who taught us the Homer Simpson Do-Ri-Mi-Beer song. Good to see him again! Like most of the folks out here, he is sorry to hear that Green One is off the trail. Good to Go and Willy Goat caught and passed us today and send regards to Green One as well.

Just 12 miles today and I feel great! We got out of the camp at 9am instead of 7:30, took a nice lunch, hung out at the 300 year-old Keffer Oak for a while and still made it to the shelter by 4pm! The oak was awesome – it is a white oak with a circumference of 18+ feet. The massive lower branches are about 2 to 3 feet thick and extend about 50 feet away from the trunk, just above the ground. What an awesome tree!

The shelter here is really cool as well. It was recently build and is super clean and comfortable. The old shelter is near the water source and has an old bear skull in the window. It’s relaxing to have hours to eat and hang out. Rockhound drew a mancala game on his air mattress and we played a few games before it got dark. I think he won 3 games out of 4, but I am feeling too good to care!